Mistakes
by angelwhisperer
Summary: Missions are never that hard, really. So why do they always turn sour in the end? Robin's hurt, the young team is having trouble coping, and madness is left in the wake of a failed mission. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! This is my first fanfiction actually posted, so please go easy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. Unfortunatly.

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><p>"I SWEAR, WALLY WEST, IF YOU DON'T SHARE THAT MILK, I WILL GUT YOU AND FEED YOUR INTESTINES TO THE SHARKS!"<p>

"Too late."

"ARGHHH!"

"HAHAHA!"

*crash*

"Artemis, we have more milk. I made sure to buy—"

"I WANT MY MILK!"

"Hey, don't yell at M'gann!"

"SHUT IT, SUPERBRAT! YOU'RE NEXT!"

"HAHA!"

"YOU HAVE NO ROOM TO TALK, FLASH BOY!"

"Eep."

*crash*

"Perhaps we should—"

"NO, KALDUR! KID MOUTH HAS PULLED HIS LAST PRANK!"

"No, I haven't. I'm gonna pull tons more."

"ARGHHH!"

*smash*

"On Mars, we make peace by—"

*crunch*

"—can't catch me! Can't catch—"

*crash*

"—believe we are beyond sanity—"

*bang*

"—act you're age, not you're IQ—"

*clang*

"—GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SH—"

*shatter*

"—all earthlings so—"

*smash*

"—OUCH! You hit my—"

*slam*

"—trying to say that perhaps we should—"

*boom*

"What the hell is going on in here?"

Silence.

Roy Harper found the Young Justice team in a very interesting situation, to say the least. The kitchen looked like a nuclear implosion. Kaldur was the most civilized, standing on the island in the middle of the kitchen with his bowl of cereal raised to avoid the turmoil. M'gann was levitating, her back against the ceiling and all of the fragile objects not yet broken levitating with her. Superboy was crouched on top of the refrigerator (in a most manly position) with an almost-empty carton of milk clutched in his arms like it was a holy relic. Artemis had Wally in a headlock, rolling in the mess in the middle of the floor and dodging Wally's kicks and fists. They all froze when he entered the room and stared at him like deer caught in headlights.

Artemis let Wally go and he sped over to stand behind Roy before she could do any more damage. She stood, brushed herself off, and hoisted up onto a fruit loop-covered countertop. Seeing that the battle was over, Kaldur got down from the island, M'gann returned all of the levitating objects, and Connor jumped off the fridge (milk still clutched tightly).

"Now," Roy said. "What the hell happened?"

Kaldur answered calmly before anyone else could snap. "Wally drank the last of the milk and Artemis became angry, so she attacked him. We were simply bystanders."

"It's not my fault," Wally cried indignantly. "Arty's just cranky!"

"I swear, Kid Mouth, I will—"

"You want to go again?"

"Alright, alright, ENOUGH!" Roy silenced them again. "Why don't you just act like a team for once? I'm solo and I still know what teamwork is." The tension still didn't disperse, and the young leaguers suddenly couldn't meet each others' eyes. "Did something happen?"

Kaldur's silver eyes filled with grief. "The last mission…did not go well."

"It failed?"

"No, it just…"

Artemis crossed her arms. "…didn't go well."

Roy rolled his hazel eyes. "Yeah, that happens sometimes. It's called suck up and deal."

Wally flinched, M'gann bit her lip, and even Connor looked uncomfortable.

Roy became concerned. What could have happened that would make them act like this? Suddenly, it hit him what was missing. "Hey, where's Robin?"

Silence.

Roy's heart dropped. "Wally, where's Rob?"

"He's…in his room."

Roy's big brother instinct was kicking in (he hadn't felt in…years). "Is he okay? Guys, what happened?"

Seeing as no one had the courage to speak up, Kaldur did. "We were infiltrating an illegal operation. Robin was shutting their systems down and we were supposed to cover him. But…we became distracted and…failed at our designated task. He was injured…quite seriously."

"But," Roy swallowed thickly. "He's okay, right? I mean, he's gonna recover?"

"Red Tornado said he would," Connor replied quietly.

"How long is he supposed to be out?"

Artemis studied the ground distantly. "His injury was…pretty bad."

Roy wasn't sure what to say. He had never felt so terrified for anyone in…years. This was Robin they were talking about. Dick always bounced back. He was like everyone's baby brother. If anything ever happened to the kid, it would destroy him. It would destroy the whole League.

Connor suddenly growled and punched a hole in the counter, causing everyone to jump violently. M'gann laid a hand on his shoulder, but he ignored her.

"Connor," Kaldur warned.

"No, Kaldur! This is our fault! How can you just sit here and pretend like it's okay?"

"No one's pretending anything, Connor, but taking it out on the furniture isn't helping," Artemis said, voice grave.

"Artemis is correct," Kaldur continued. "We all failed. All that we can do now is try and amend our mistakes."

Wally's green eyes flashed with anger. "Mistakes? This is Rob we're talking about! It's not like patching a wall back together! If he had died, that would have been it! There's no way to go back and fix something like that!"

M'gann turned to him. "Wally, that's not what he means. He is simply saying that we cannot linger on what has passed."

Artemis' head snapped up furiously. "Oh, shut it, Princess. Like you have any room to talk. You were right next to him when it happened. What, were you too afraid to get your hands dirty?" she sneered. M'gann gasped and tears filled her eyes.

Connor snarled. "Hey, back off!"

"Or what?"

"Enough!" Kaldur went unheeded.

"I swear, I will rip your head right off your—"

"Back off, Superbrat!" Wally intervened, vibrating with anger.

"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?"

"DON'T MESS WITH ME, YOU OVERGROWN APE—"

"—HAVE YOU THROUGH THAT WALL SO FAST—"

"—STOP FIGHTING BEFORE YOU—"

"—PROTECTING YOUR LITTLE MARTIAN GIRLFRIEND—"

"—KEEP ACTING LIKE CHILDREN—"

"Guys?"

That soft voice stopped them cold.

They whipped around toward the hallway. Robin stood in the darkness, watching them. He looked exhausted, leaning against the wall like he lacked the energy to stand. His black glasses were missing, showing weary blue eyes shadowed by unkempt black hair. He wore only a pair of grey sweatpants, showing pale skin and a lean, muscular form. What hit them the hardest, though, were the stark white bandages that wrapped around his entire torso and right arm.

"Why are you yelling?" he asked, voice much softer than they had ever heard it.

The fighting team sobered instantly. "I am sorry, Robin. We did not mean to wake you."

He nodded, then seemed to notice the extra person for the first time. "Roy?"

Roy smiled, expression soft. "Hey, kid. How're you doing?"

Robin gave a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Honestly, I'm…not feeling the aster." The Young Justice team winced and looked away. If Dick noticed, he didn't comment. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to check in. I didn't know that you were hurt. I hadn't heard anything from League intelligence."

"The League does not know of what has transpired," Kaldur informed, crossing his arms absently.

Roy studied him. "Why?"

"Batman and the top chairs are on an off-planet mission," Robin continued. "If they find out, so does Batman, and I don't want him getting distracted in the middle of a battle. He'll find out when he gets back."

"I'm not sure if he'll be very happy about being kept out of the loop, especially when it concerns you," Roy warned, leaning against the wall.

Robin shrugged and continued into the kitchen. "He'll get over it. It's not like I haven't…" He suddenly paled, eyes squeezed shut in pain. He swayed on his feet and would have hit the floor had Wally not caught him.

"Easy, man. Just take it easy," he said softly as Roy came up beside him.

Robin grasped Roy's arm and leaned into him for support. "I'm fine. Sorry," he said hoarsely.

Without a word, Roy and Wally helped their 'little brother' into the living room, sitting him on the dark sofa. Roy and Wally sat on either side, looking like a trio of brothers rather than a few heroes. The rest of the team followed them in, seeming awkward and nervous.

Dick rested his head back on the sofa, looking wearier than he had before. "You should rest for the time being," Kaldur broke the quiet. "We would not want your wounds to worsen."

Dick shrugged lightly, eyes still closed. "This isn't the first time I've been cut open. It's no big deal."

Artemis jumped up, eyes aggravated. "_No big deal?_ Robin, you almost died! You're out of commission for at least another month! How can you say it's no big deal?"

Superboy crossed his arms. "They got the drop on you and you think we're just going to act like nothing happened?"

Wally added, "This was a huge screw up! We can't just push it away and pretend like everything's okay."

Roy was about to snap at them to chill out when he was cut off.

"Guys, I'm…sorry. I didn't mean for them to sneak up on me," Dick said sadly, resting his head in his hands. "I should have seen it but…I was just so distracted. I screwed up the mission and…I'm so sorry."

The room was silent for a moment, taking this in with wide eyes and shocked faces. Finally, M'gann broke the tension. "Robin, you believe that…you are responsible?"

He leaned back and rested his head on Roy's shoulder, blue eyes closed to them. The grief leaked through his voice when he mumbled, "How could it not be?"

Wally leaned back and studied his friend closely. "Dude…it's…not your fault. No one blames you. At all."

"I didn't—"

"It wasn't your job to get the intel _and_ keep the baddies off," Artemis cut him off. "Watching your back was our job and we royally screwed up."

Robin shook his head. "A hero should be prepared for anything. Me being occupied is no excuse."

"How can you say that?" Connor questioned, leaning against the side wall. "Intel and heavy hitting never go together. It just isn't possible."

The youngest was quiet, refusing to open his eyes and even look at them. Suddenly, Roy understood. "Did Batman tell you that?"

The team's heads snapped up. Understanding dawned across Kaldur's face.

"I've been trained for that," Robin finally explained. "For all the years I've known him, he has taught me to be prepared for anything. Never let the enemy get the drop on you. You have to be holding all the cards. It was rule number one." He sighed and rested his head in his hands again, obscuring his blue eyes from their view. When he spoke again, weariness had crept into his voice, though they doubted it had anything to do with sleep. "He's going to kill me when he finds out. He'll never let me fight again."

The young team had no response for that. Batman was way out of their league. They couldn't boss the big bat around. There were only a few people who could talk back to the Batman without getting their heads snapped off, and Robin was one of them. If the kid was afraid of now, then there was due cause to be.

Never the less, Roy felt it was his duty to comfort his 'little brother'. He had been doing it for ever, after all. "I won't let him do that," he replied firmly.

Dick looked up at him, doubtful. "How?"

"I'll make it up. I'll tell him…" He had no excuse to give off the top of his head. "…something."

Robin snorted, with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "That's encouraging."

Kaldur stepped forward and kneeled in front of the young human, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Listen to me, Robin. We will not let you take the blame alone. The mission's disarray was in no manner your responsibility. If you are certain that Batman will blame you, then we will take all necessary actions to prevent that. When we meet with the Justice League, we will stand together. We will take the blame together, and we will accept the punishment together. Because we are a team. No one gets left behind."

Robin was quiet for a moment, studying Kaldur and letting this sink in. "Together?"

"You bet," Artemis ensured, smirking. Connor nodded, set determination on his face.

"I am sure my uncle J'onn will be able to placate your mentor. They have know each other for some time, I believe."

Robin laughed this time. "If you guys have a death wish, then go right ahead. I'll be content to sit back and watch the show."

Wally ruffled Robin's hair. "Wow. Gee, so much for teamwork," he grumbled with a smile.

"Haven't you realized, Wally? When Young Justice screws up, 'Team' is spelled Y-O-U."

"Hey!"

Robin laughed. A real, genuine, Robin cackle that had them all smiling.

Maybe everything would be okay after all.

* * *

><p>There. *Whew* Please review. I love critisism because my friends never give me enough :)<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

So, I was planning on making this a one-shot, but a bunch of people wanted me to keep going, so TADA! Chapter two. At this point, I've let the character's take over and what will happen, will happen.

Sorry it took so long to post this, but school is trying to steal my sanity.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

* * *

><p>"<em>Recognized: Batman, zero-two."<em>

Wally and Connor looked up toward the zeta beam from their game of virtual air hockey, startled. Gloom descended on them the moment the Dark Knight stepped into the room. They were used to seeing him unhappy, but the scowl set on his face was enough to scare Winston Churchill away (and that's saying something, because that man could _scowl_).

The carrot top speedster swept over in a blur. "HeyBatmanIdidn'tknowyouwerebackdoyoune—"

The man swept past Wally and of the room like a bat out of hell.

Wally watched the doorway where Batman had just been, still stunned at the Flash-like speed in which the man had moved, before turning slowly to look at Connor. He could imagine they shared the came stunned, slightly-panicked look. "Should we go tell…?"

"Come on," Connor finished, bolting through the doorway. Wally quickly zoomed around him and raced toward the living room, where the remaining team members lounged.

"GuysBatman'shereandIthinkhe'slookingforRob—"

"Wally!" Kaldur cut him off. "You are going to have to slow down if you want us to understand you."

Wally took a deep breath, released it, then started again, exasperated. "Batman just got back and he looked as grumpy as Artemis did that time I put pink hair dye in her shampoo."

"That was you?" she screeched, standing so fast she knocked the armchair on its back. "Do you know how long it took me to get that all out? What were you doing in the girl's bathroom, you sick perverted—"

"Whoa! It was nothing like that!" he interrupted, hands up in surrender as she stormed up to him and grabbed his collar in her fists. "It was just an innocent prank, I swear!"

"You are so dead!"

"GUYS!" Connor's resounding shout shut them up and she grudgingly dropped him, watching as he sped away behind Kaldur. "I think we have bigger things to worry about."

"Where is Batman?" Kaldur asked.

Wally zipped over next to Connor. "He went toward the rooms."

M'gann gasped. "You don't think he's going to punish Robin, do you?"

"Probably," Artemis grumbled. "You heard the kid. He said the Bat would flip."

"Well yes," Kaldur began. "But perhaps we should not interfere."

"What!" the team shouted.

"We should think about this—"

"Dude, we said we would bail him if this happened," Wally snapped. Rarely did the young flash exhibit serious traits of any kind ("It's in my genetics!"), but at the moment, his best friend needed him and he'd be damned if he just stood back and watched (even if he was up against a seething Batman). "I'm a lot of things, but a traitor isn't one of them!"

"I didn't mean—"

"It wasn't his fault anyway," Connor continued over Kaldur. "We messed up. We should take the fall!"

"If you would just listen—"

Artemis crossed her arms, jaw set and eyes flaring. "Kaldur, we can't just _not_ do anything. I know how it feels to be blamed for something you didn't do. It's not fun."

Kaldur sighed and massaged his forehead. "I understand what you are all saying, but interfering in a mentor-protégé matter before we are certain of what is being said will only make the situation worse," he said, grey eyes hard. "It would be as if Batman came to my mentor and tried to tell him how to do his job. If the trust between Batman and Robin is as strong as we have witnessed on the battle field, then there will be no need for us to intervene."

They were quiet for a moment, taking this in. Finally, M'gann asked from beside him," But…what if Batman does punish him?"

"Then we will be there to set it right," Kaldur answered firmly.

The team finally sighed, resigned, and returned to the living room. Connor threw himself onto a sofa and watched the television's white fuzz. M'gann seated herself beside him, while Kaldur took an arm chair; Artemis and Wally sat as far away from each other as they could whilst sitting on the same sofa. Static-filled silence permeated that air, but the team had neither the desire nor the courage to break it.

* * *

><p>Bruce was the last person he wanted to see. Sure, he had been worried about the man, being off world and all, but he didn't think he had the courage to face the Batman after what happened on the last mission. No matter what the others said, he knew Bruce wouldn't be happy. It wasn't often that the infamous Boy Wonder was hurt as seriously as he had been. The only times he could remember being that bad off were his showdowns with the Joker (and that was saying <em>a lot<em>). Even if Batman did let him off the hook, he wasn't sure if he himself ever would. He prided himself in his perception, intelligence, and reflexes. How Young Justice had screwed up so bad, he would never know.

_*flashback*_

"_Rob, hurry it up over there!"_

"_Almost done!"_

_KF didn't answer, but Robin hadn't expected him to. The underground strongroom was so consumed by chaos he was surprised he had even heard the speedster._

_There were more goons than he had expected, which had kept the rest of the team occupied the entire twelve minutes and thirty two seconds they had been down there. Kaldur was off across the room, wielding his water swords like the trained warrior that he was, but with every man he took out, two took his place. Artemis perched herself atop a large metal storage container, using her height advantage to reign arrows down on the sea of enemies, but her quiver was quickly running out. Superboy wasn't even visible beneath the surge of gunmen trying to take him down. Kid Flash wove in and out of the many skirmishes, attacking and sabotaging where he could, but the room was quickly becoming overcrowded. Miss Marian hovered somewhere over him, having made the decision to use her telepathy in an effort to gain the upper hand._

_For a bunch of average Joe gunnies, these guys were a pain in the ass._

_As much as he wanted to aid them, Robin was occupied with the mainframe their targets had set up on the far wall of the strongroom. It hadn't looked all that complicated going in, but now that he was there trying to hack it, he realized just how advanced these guys really were. Not enough to need the League, of course, but enough to give the Boy Wonder a run for his money._

_Therefore, he didn't see the threat until it was right up on him._

_Being trained by the Batman, he generally felt things before he saw them. It was instinct and, without doubt, the only thing that saved his life. Robin felt the area shift, but too late. He had been so engrossed in the wires and machinery beneath the computer, trying to get the programming to work in his favor, he only had time to duck away when the man lunged at him. Pain exploded across his abdomen, nearly overwhelming him, as he fell back away from the leering man. It took him a moment longer than he would have liked to realize what had happened, but when he saw the bloody knife in the criminal's hand, he understood._

_The man had stabbed him, right across the stomach. This knowledge hit him like frozen water, steeling away what little breath he had left. He had been stabbed, _stabbed_, of all things. As this realization came over him, he wondered where his team was. Things like this didn't normally happen while his back was turned to the battle because they always warned him through the telepathic link before he could be attacked. The fact that, even now, they hadn't said anything worried him. Were the okay? Had they been taken out, too? That thought made his heart sink to his feet. He needed to find them, _needed _them to be okay. This mission couldn't fail, not because of his idiocy._

_Time picked up again and, through the haze of his consciousness, Robin saw the man making his way toward him once more. Pushing the agony away, Robin grabbed the edge of the computer consol and attempted to stand. Pain tore through him at the exertion and, unconsciously, he wrapped an arm around his inflamed torso. Warm blood soaked through his clothes at a steady flow, already coating his arm, and the sheer amount of it made him lightheaded. His legs and arms shook in their effort to support him and he knew that if he didn't do something quick, he wouldn't stay conscious long enough to finish the battle. Weakly, Robin fumbled with his utility belt until his fingers brushed across a batarang and he tossed it at the man now mere feet away from him. His hands were shaking, though, and his aim rough. The projectile missed and embedded in the wall somewhere in the distance._

This is it_, he thought as his body slumped against the consol, refusing to fight anymore. _I'm going to die here. In a weapons raid. I am so not feeling the aster. _He closed his eyes, blood still pouring from the wound, and waited for the last blow._

"_Robin!" someone screamed, sharp and terrified. The voice sounded distant, as if buried in a ton of sand, but he would recognize it anywhere. M'gann. Almost immediately, his mind was bombarded with voices, alarmed and panicked and desperate to be heard. So much spirit and emotion flooded his soul at the same time, he was afraid he would lose himself to it. _

_The man with the knife stopped suddenly, a confused look on his face, before some unseen force hoisted him into the air. He cried out in surprise and fear, limbs flailing helplessly. A fast-moving figure pounded up behind him and, in a leap of great feat, slammed into him from behind. _Superboy._ With a fist cocked back, he pulled the man out of the air with force enough to crush an ocean liner. Robin's fading mind noted the look of pure rage on Connor's face, though couldn't quite figure out why it would be there. The two landed with a loud crack on the cement and Robin studied his attacker's face, bloody and wide-eyed and pinched in pain. One man, not even super. Dick was far more human than he would like to be; his weaknesses were more numerous than those of his teammates. His team…_

_Robin couldn't remember collapsing, but he must have, because the next thing he knew, he was staring up into Wally's wide, worried green eyes. "Rob? You with me buddy?" he asked, voice wavering in panic._

_Robin blinked, struggling to keep his eyes open. The strongroom was silent now, save the sounds of nervous pacing and gasping breaths. Oh. His gasps. Now he remembered. He was bleeding. He was dying._

_The next thing he registered was a sharp, incessant pain in his abdomen. He reached down to feel for it, make it stop, _make it stop…

_Someone pulled his hands away and held them firmly. He looked up wearily to see Artemis kneeling over him, her face more panicked and anxious than he had ever seen it. "They're trying to stop the bleeding, Robin. Don't touch it," she said softly, endearingly. Those words most defiantly did not go with Artemis' personality. If the situation hadn't been so dire, he would have laughed. As it was, he was doing well just to breathe._

_The pain was unbearable now. It rippled through his body in throbbing waves, burning and aching and screaming as if he were dying. He was dying. He _wanted _to die. "Is anything helping, M'gann?" he heard someone ask off toward the side. Superboy. He was pacing anxiously behind her._

"_All I can do is try to keep the bleeding down," she answered, sounding close to tears. "Until the Bioship gets here, there's nothing…I can't believe I didn't see him in time."_

"_We need to stay focused," Robin heard Kaldur say from beside the computer mainframe. "If we do not, it will mean his life."_

"_And what are you doing?" Connor snapped, taking out his worry the only way he could._

"_I am finishing the mission."_

"_WHAT? Robin's dying and that's all you can think about!"_

"_I, too, am afraid for him, but I will not let his sacrifice go in vain. This mission must be finished."_

"_Superboy, come on man, not now," Wally said, more subdued than Robin remembered his friend ever sounding._

_Agony coursed through him again and he gasped, moaning in furious pain. Hands were on his face suddenly, stroking, comforting. "Easy, kid. Just hang in there." Artemis was still there and, peering through the encroaching darkness, he could see Wally right beside her, a hand on her shoulder._

_The blood loss was too much to focus through, now. He could feel himself slipping, his team's voices muddled and far away. He felt them there beside him, though, even in the darkness. They were a constant beacon, always at his side. Of this, he was certain._

_*end flashback*_

He would never be able to explain any of that to Bruce, though. The Batman was a loner; he didn't understand teamwork, and this would only make it worse. If Bruce pulled him off the team, Young Justice would fall apart. He wasn't being arrogant, just realistic. He made the team function, even if Kaldur was the leader. Kaldur had even told him this, months ago.

His door open unceremoniously and a dark figure stalked in before shutting it behind him. The Batman stood still in the shadows of his doorway, narrow eyes studying him carefully. Dick watched him from his place on the bed, too weary and ashamed to do much of anything else. "Hi, Bruce," he said in a voice softer than he would have liked.

The man strode forward and towered over Dick for a long moment, that unnerving gaze still on him, before sitting beside him on the bed. "You lied to me."

Dick looked away, his face flushing in shame.

"Why?" his surrogate father asked, voice rough but unreadable.

He sighed, yielding. "I just…didn't want to worry you. You were off-planet and I was afraid that if you got distracted something would go wrong. I'm sorry," he finished in a whisper.

Bruce was quiet for another moment and his unwavering gaze was unbearable. Dick fingered the hem of his shirt nervously, waiting for the lecture, the yelling, the punishment. He wanted it. He _needed _to know what he had done wrong, why the mission had failed. It was his fault. _His._

Instead, Bruce removed his black cowl, leaned down, and wrapped Dick in a hug. For several moments, Dick was too stunned to even move. The last time he could remember Bruce hugging him, he was eight and had just lost his parents. Now that he was older, there was just never any physical affection shown. They knew they cared for each other, so it didn't need to be outwardly displayed. But here was the Batman, bane of Gothom's criminal underworld, holding him in a warm embrace like he would never see him again.

Dick found himself melting into it after a while, though. While foreign, the affection was wanted and he leaned into the man, dropping the blank mask he had been wearing and letting all of the pain and weariness and grief overflow. It took him a while to realize he was crying. In front of anyone else, he would have been horrified, but this was Bruce: his mentor, his savior, his father. He let the dark, familiar man comfort him as he cried like he hadn't in years.

No words were said, but none needed to be. The Batman and his protégé worked best in the silence. Finally, when he had no more tears to give, he pulled away and leaned against the wall. The strain had caused his wound to throb again; he would need more painkillers soon. "Dick."

He looked to find Bruce watching him. Those eyes were dark and steady, but warm with love and concern. His expression was soft in a manner that no one else on the League would understand (except maybe Clark, but Bruce never let the 'Boy Scout' see). "Bruce I…I'm sorry."

"It's okay. While I don't like it, I understand why you made that decision. Just don't withhold information like that from me again."

He nodded, but still wasn't satisfied. Bruce wasn't getting it. "I'm sorry," he whispered, even softer than before.

Bruce gave him a bewildered look. "I already said it's fine."

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Not that. I'm sorry that the mission failed. It was my fault…" Suddenly, he found the vault opening up and everything that had been on his mind for days and days on end started spilling out almost unconsciously. "I should have seen the guy but I didn't. I was so distracted by the mainframe I left my guard down and then he got me before I could move. I was slow and stupid and unprepared so the mission failed and my teammates almost died and it's all my fault. I'm so sorry, Bruce. Please don't pull me off the team. I can do better next time…"

Dick looked up, startled, when Bruce grabbed his shoulders gently and turned him towards the man. "Richard, listen to me," he began softly. Understanding swirled in his dark eyes, the same understanding he had seen when the man first came for him in the juvenile home years ago. "You did nothing wrong. You were doing your part of the mission, and that was all anyone could ask of you. I understand what it's like to feel as if it's your failure. But it's not. They should have been watching your back and they weren't. It's just one of those things. I'm just glad you're…safe."

Dick knew what he had been about to say. _Alive_. He was lucky to be. The idea of leaving Bruce alone in Wayne Manor after so many years of being together was terrifying. Bemused, Dick looked up at him. "You mean…you're not mad at me?"

A smile tugged at Bruce's lips. "No."

"And…" He swallowed, almost afraid to hope that it was true. "And you're not gonna pull me off the team?"

"Not if you don't want to be pulled."

A real, genuine smile lit up Dick's face for the first time in almost two weeks. Relieved, he leaned back against the wall again, suddenly aware of just how tired he was. Minutes of comfortable silence passed between them, the two just happy that they're only family was still alive. Finally, Bruce shifted and stood. "You should rest. I will leave you here, so you don't have to move." He helped Dick relax, then turned to leave the room.

"Hey Bruce?" Dick called just as the man was replacing his cowl.

Bruce turned back to him.

"Thanks."

Smiling (unnoticeable to anyone that wasn't Clark, Dick, or Alfred), the Batman pulled the cowl over his face, replaced his scowl and shut the door behind him, leaving the dorm in tranquil darkness.

Now to deal with the team.

* * *

><p>I know some people thought it was weird that Robin thought Bruce would be mad at him. The fact is that Robin <em>thought<em> he would be, but he really wasn't. Batman is a little OOC, but Bruce isn't, if you think about it. If you found out that you're adopted son had almost died while you were off-planet, you might be a little OOC, too. But besides that, I'm kind of happy how this turned out.

Fear not. There will be more Team Friendship in the next chapter. It will pickup pace very soon.

Please Review. It makes me happy and I put more effort in my writing.


	3. Chapter 3

I'm blown away by the response I'm getting for this! I had no idea it would be so popular.

So, this is was originally going to be two chapters, but I decided I wouldn't do that to you and made it one. I'm pretty excited about this story now. The plot is coming along nicely.

Carry on.

Disclaimer: Don't own Young Justice.

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><p>Three weeks of slow healing made for an exceedingly restless Robin. The team missed its youngest member; the Mountain just didn't seem as bright without him. After the Bat returned, Robin spent most of his time healing in Gothom (wherever it was that he lived as a civilian; he had yet to tell them) and, though the young team was glad that he was healing, they needed him to come back. Friendship and guilt aside, their ongoing mission to locate and apprehend the gunnies from the last failed mission was not progressing well.<p>

The League wasn't going to help them with this one and, honestly, the young heroes didn't want the help. It was their blunder in the first place and they were going to fix it even if it killed them (preferably not). So far, though, the men always seemed to be one step ahead. Prior to the first mission, Batman had informed them that the enemie was a wide-spread mafia that, in an argument over blood money gained through trafficking narcotics, had waged an all out underground war resulting in the death of twenty seven of its top brass member. The group split into two factions and the war waged on for years. All the trafficking and homicide just seemed to be out of spite, now. This proved to be more trouble than the team would have wanted because, at this point, it was impossible to predict which faction would act next or where they would strike.

Young Justice needed Robin's criminal underground intelligence.

All these factors considered, when he stepped through the zeta beam more than three weeks after the first attack, the team was ecstatic to see him.

"Dude!" Wally cried, speeding over to his best friend in a blur of yellow and red. "It's been forever since we've seen you! Does this mean you're healed now? Do you think we can—"

"Hey, Kid Mouth," Artemis snapped, coming up behind him. "Give him a breather, will you? You're gonna strangle him."

Wally had the sense to look sheepish, rubbing the back of his red head awkwardly. "Oh, right. Sorry. But still!" he added, grabbing his friend's shoulder and mouth moving a mile a minute. "—"

"Dude, slow down!" Dick interrupted, grinning. "I didn't get a word you just said."

Kaldur put a hand on Robin's arm. "Let us go into the living room. We can discuss things there." Robin followed his team further into the Mountain, a content smile on his face. It was so good to be with the team again.

The teenagers plopped themselves down in the living room before Robin asked. "So, how's the search coming?"

"It's not," Connor said bluntly, a scowl reappearing on his face (or maybe he was just indifferent).

"We have attempted to track them to their main base using the multiple reported sightings," Kaldur began. "But we cannot seem to center on a specific location. Merely a general area."

Robin shrugged. "It's a start."

"The problem is, every time we think we've got it narrowed down, it switches," Connor added.

Artemis continued, "It's all in the same state, pretty much, but we can't find a clear hub, how the sites are related, or what the goal is."

"It all just seems…random," M'gann finished.

Robin leaned forward on his elbows, hands clasped beneath his chin. "Well, there's a lot of reasons for that. I'd need to see the data you have so far. Maybe I can figure it out."

"Perhaps we could simply ask the League for assistance," M'gann offered, twisting a piece of her red hair nervously. "I mean, we've been looking into this mission for some time now. Maybe we need to go for more help."

Artemis snorted and muttered, "Like that'll happen."

"I don't want their help," Connor said, glaring at the wall like it was at fault. "We're not babies who need to be coddled."

"Besides, Rob's got this research thing in the bag," Wally declared, leaning back on the couch casually. "What else do you think him and the big bad Bat do in that cave of theirs? Right Rob?" No answer. Wally cracked open an eye to find that Robin was no longer beside him. He rolled his eyes. "Show off."

"Why does he do that?" Connor grumbled. He didn't like the fact that someone could sneak out of a room and into the dark with the clone of Superman neither seeing nor hearing it. It just wasn't natural.

Wally shrugged. "That's classic Robin. He's always been like that."

"It is quite useful on missions," Kaldur observed remotely.

They started when Batman's voice sounded through the Mountain. _"Team, you have a mission."_

They gave each other a look before standing and jogging toward the main room. "Really? Aren't we already in the middle of one?" Artemis grumbled.

"_There's been a breach in Arkham,"_ Batman told them over the intercom once the team had gathered. _"You need to get in there, solve the problem, and get out. No detours."_

"Isn't Gothom your district? Why aren't you doing it?" Wally asked bluntly. M'gann elbowed him in the side.

"Hey!"

"_The League's been recalled,"_ the Dark Knight answered simply. _"Just get the job done. Quickly. Robin, you're in charge."_

The protégé nodded. "Got it."

Batman's face disappeared from the screen, leaving the Young team in silence. Robin turned to them. "We don't have much time. Let's get moving." They gave each other a wary look before turning and following the Boy Wonder toward the Bioship.

The team hadn't failed to recall the last Gothom mission they had been assigned against Clayface. It didn't go well and, if Batman hadn't shown up, they would be dead in a pile of clay. They were stronger, now, and more in tune with each other, but memories of that day left a sour taste in their mouths. The only one who didn't seem too bothered by it was Robin (and Artemis, who hadn't been on the team at the time). Of course, Robin dealt with Gothom crime like he breathed air, but with the last terrifying mission still lingering over them, the other five couldn't help but be anxious for this one.

"It looks like a raid," Robin debriefed as the ship headed toward the Asylum. "East and south wings lost power about twelve minutes ago. GDP has the place surrounded, but they've lost contact with all the teams they sent in."

The ship fell silent as the team brooded tensely over this and Robin continued to search the reports. Robin wasn't naïve, though. He had learned to read people from the best, and new that something bothered his friends enough to unsettle them. Turning in his seat, he eyed them all intensely. "Are you guys ready for this?"

They glanced at each other before Kaldur spoke up. "Our last Gothom mission…did not end well."

"Of course it didn't. My first Gothom mission turned bad, too," Robin replied. "You're just not used to that style of fighting. But you're better now, more experienced."

"But after…" M'gann didn't finish that thought. She could still almost feel Robin's blood on her fingers. "How do you know that we're ready now?"

"I don't," he answered simply. "But if you're not, I'll be there."

Nothing more was said on the matter.

Per Robin's orders, M'gann put the Bioship in camouflage mode when they hit the Gothom city limit. "We don't know who's watching," was the only explanation he offered. Six minutes later, M'gann settled the ship outside the DiAngelo Sewage Treatment Plant across the street from the asylum and the team hopped off, nervous and pumped with adrenalin. Arkham was a gothic-style building with iron-barred windows and razor wire along the spiked metal fence that surrounded it. Gargoyle statues glared at them from the eaves protruding off the sooty black roof and they almost seemed alive beneath the dark sky. Clouds hung thick and low over Gothom, dark with promises of rain, and the stormy air bathed the building in sticky moisture.

As promised, the GPD had created a blockade around the dark, gothic-style building. Commissioner Gordon waited for him by the front gate, looking anxious. When he spotted the teenagers, he hastily tried to cover the disappointment on his face. "Robin, thank God you're here."

"Hey, Commiss. Anything new?" Robin replied, watching the wrought iron gates. Beyond, the shadowed building was dark and disturbingly quiet.

Gordon shook his head and sighed. "Nothing. Seeing as you're here, I don't suppose the Bat's going to show up?"

"Nope. He's on League duty. It's just us tonight." Robin caught the look on Gordon's face and grinned, but it didn't reach his eyes. "No worries, Mr. Gordon. You know I can handle anything Arkham dishes out."

Gordon put a hand on his shoulder and leaned into his ear, so the rest of the team couldn't hear. "It's not you I'm worried about. It's your friends."

Robin looked up at him and patted his arm. "I trust them, Commissioner."

Gordon rubbed a hand over his moustache. "Well, _I_ trust _you_, so whatever you decide."

Robin nodded and began tapping at his holographic laptop. "Just keep your men ready."

"Right. Good luck, kid."

Robin turned back to his team, who watched him guardedly. Pulling five clear masks out of his belt, he hand one to each of them.

"What's this?" Connor asked, eyeing it suspisionly.

"Gas mask. Just in case."

They didn't look too encouraged by this.

"Don't listen to anything you might hear in there. Ignore it. Don't trust anyone else, not even the guards. Be ready for anything but, for the love of God, _don't _panic and _don't_ let anyone out, no matter what they say. Got it?"

They nodded vaguely, wide-eyed and pale.

"Let's go." Together, they sprinted off toward the looming asylum; the shadows seemed to absorb their silhouettes like dusk swallows the sun.

The Commissioner watched them go, a feeling of dread in his stomach. "I hope you know what you're doing, kid."

* * *

><p>Wally studied the rusted front doors as they passed through, leaving behind sweet, sane freedom. He really hated his job sometimes. They sprinted through the maximum security ward, not a guard in sight. On the wall was a sign that read in large, black letters:<p>

**NO**

**WEAPONS, COINS, UMBRELLAS,**

**PLANTS, BOTTLED WATER,**

**PLAYING CARDS, OR COOLERS**

**BEYOND THIS POINT.**

"Wow, they sure aren't taking any chances," he mumbled as they passed under the sign and into the north wing's main hallway.

"With the security measures here, you would think criminals would stop breaking out," Artemis agreed quietly.

The insanity hit them when they passed through the solid steel door. Screaming, crying, moaning, and crashing slammed over them in one great cacophony; it felt like drowning.

Wally couldn't imagine how anyone could stand fighting crime here on a daily basis and stay same themselves. He suddenly understood the Batman and his protégé a lot more than ever before. No wonder they were so paranoid all the time. That realization startled him wholly.

Kaldur increased his pace and came up beside Robin. "What is the plan?"

"We play Scooby Doo. Look for clues and solve the puzzle," he answered simply. Kaldur gave him a blank look. "Oh, I forgot you're Atlantean. Never mind."

"What exactly are we looking for?" Wally finally asked. "I mean, seriously. How are we supposed to know if something _isn't_ normal? This is a nut house."

"Well, if there are criminals running around free, I think you can consider that 'not normal'," Artemis said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, gee, thanks Arty. I'm glad you cleared that up for me," he sneered sarcastically.

The main hallway broke off into many, becoming something akin to a labryinth. Locked steel doors lined both sides of the concrete walkways, tarnished and old from years of service. Slits at eye level had been cut in the solid doors, many of which exhibited faces of various backgrounds and levels of sanity. Every corner they turned was the same. With the absence of light, Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane resembled a small hell.

"I thought only the east and south wings were out of power," Connor observed.

"That changed about five minutes ago," Robin answered as the team moved through the hallways at a steady pace.

"Then why isn't security down?"

"Power and security isn't connected under the same mainframe. That would be a mistake. And the wards are designed with four different security systems, one for each wing."

"So if one shuts down, the other three will still be functioning," M'gann realized, hovering beside Connor.

Robin nodded. "And the criminals in the dysfunctional ward will still be stuck in the asylum. The only logical way to bust someone out of here from the _outside_ is to take out all four systems."

"But there's loopholes," Artemis concluded, observing each door in turn.

"Yep, and most of the time they're only holes that the clinically insane can come up with." He turned a corner, down another, larger hallway. "The theory is that insanity unlocks stores of the brain that otherwise are barred to 'sane' people, but unlocking it brings instability. That's why they go insane in the first place. They have a vision that only their messed up mind can actually see, so there's no way to predict what they're seeing or what they'll do next."

Kaldur nodded, understanding. "Which is what makes Gothom so dangerous."

"Exactly."

Silence fell between them as they made their way toward the back of the asylum. Hysterics and sobs echoed, intense and raucous, down the hallways. Voices could be heard through the doors; laughing, babbling, screaming…

"Life's a bowl of bumblebees—"

"—mommy, there's a knife in your eye—"

"—_AHA_ HA HEE HEE HAAAA HA HA—"

"—but we think brains taste good. No we don't. Yes we do! No, we don't. Yes we—"

"—put it out! Put it out! Fire everywhere, EVERYWHERE! Put it out, you bast—"

"—_monsters, monsters, full of dread. Monsters, monsters_—"

"—that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy—"

"—LET ME OUT! PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU! LET ME—"

Wally shook himself out of his terror enough to realize that, at some point, Artemis had grabbed hold of his hand and clung to with shaking fingers. In the dark, it couldn't be seen, though, only felt. He glanced over at her and noticed her wide eyes and tight-lipped mouth. Kid Flash could only image that they all had just about the same look, minus Robin. This crap…it was way out of their league.

He had become so distracted by the howling inmates that he didn't notice Superboy stop until he ran into him. Connor glanced back at him, a tense scowl on his face (though Wally knew it had nothing to do with the collision). Robin, who was stopped in front of a steel door, turned back to them. "We have to split up from here."

Kaldur shook his head. "That would be most unwise."

"I know, trust me, but there's no way we can cover both east and south wing in time if we don't," he argued, looking impatient and frustrated. "Kaldur, Wally, M'gann, take the east wing. Superboy, Artemis, and I will take the south. Whoever's behind the raid will most likely still be in those wings trying to get out. Keep on your toes, don't trust anyone, and don't lose sight of each other. M'gann, can you link us up?"

She nodded hesitantly. "There's a lot of emotion here, but I can try." She closed her eyes for a moment before the six felt the familiar tug of telepathy. _Can everyone hear me?_

_Yes_, came six replies.

_Okay, you know what to do. Just…be careful._

They could feel the emotions there, lurking beneath each other's psyche, before they all pulled away enough to block it out. The fear, the anxiety, the doubt. Memories of the last mission raced across the link at a blinding speed, almost too numerous and blurred to tell apart. It haunted them all, though they would never admit it. So their minds stayed shielded off enough that the superficial touch would show nothing of the horrid uncertainty behind their actions.

Robin turned and sprinted off down the hall, toward the south wing, with Connor and Artemis close at his heels. The asylum's shadows and shrieks quickly devoured them, pulling the group from sight. The remaining three glanced at each other, nodded, and turned to the solid steel door.

Beyond, they could already hear the screaming.

* * *

><p>YAY, another chapter! So, what did you think? Man, I love Arkham. So dark. So awesome. Anyway...<p>

A/N: 1) The description of Arkham and that security sign I got from Countdown, by Greg Cox. It's the book version of the comic series and no, I don't own that either. 2) If you read through these chapters and find that anyone is acting OOC, please tell me. I'm doing my best to put them in character, but I'm sure we're all agreed that sometimes it can be difficult. I will correct it if you can point it out to me.

Please review and thanks a ton for sticking with me.


	4. Chapter 4

I love writing for crazy people! It's so much fun! They can virtually say anything I want them to and it's totally legit. Isn't it great? So I wanted to post this yesterday, but it wasn't finished yet, so...too bad. But here it is now! It's the longest chapter so far, but I'm not sure if it's as good as the last ones. As guess I'll know when you guys review, right? *wink wink*

**Lost-Remembrance **pointed out to me that in the last chapter, I spelled Gotham wrong. I know it's not really a big deal, but I do apologize. I know how annoying it is to read a story with spelling errors. IT DRIVES ME NUTS! It will happen no longer.

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

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><p>"And here we...go."<p>

* * *

><p><em>At this point, he fully accepted the fact that he was crazy.<em>

_Granted, he had always acknowledged it. The whole of GCPD doesn't just throw you in the loony bin on a strange whim. What finally hit the hammer to the nail, though, was when he went back…of his own free will._

_Who the hell breaks _**in** _to Arkham?_

_Yeah. He was crazy._

_But the whole damn city was, too, so that was just fine._

_He also completely conceded to his own idiocy. The chances were that the scatterbrained, bats in the belfry, mad as a hatter, agent of anarchy he was looking for would turn him down cold with a feral smile. At this point, though, it was the only path he had left to turn down. Only this man had what he was looking for; all the pieces had fallen into place except this one. Plus, with all the attention his break-in was grabbing, he might just be able to kill two birds with one stone._

_Therefore, that particularly drab and cryptic afternoon found him sneaking into Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane in the guise of a prim and proper security guard. The real guards on the inside already had a few moles in their ranks, so getting past security was a synch. All he had to do was cut the power lines and Arkham's residents would do the work from there._

_His ploy was risky, he supposed, and the tiny, itty bitty, miniscule spec of sanity in the deepest part of his brain was rearing its ugly head again. _

You know this is going to get bad_, it said ominously._

"_Shut up," he snapped. "What do you know?"_

Enough to tell you that you're gonna get stuck in here again, just like these other sad fools_, it shot back._

"_My plan is FOOLPROOF! You're just jealous that you couldn't come up with one as brilliant as mine."_

Yes, that's definitely it_, it grumbled sarcastically. _I'm incredibly envious of your insanity.

"_I knew it!" he shouted, his voice echoing down the South ward halls. Then he paused. "Wait, you are me."_

Exactly, and you're telling yourself that the freak-and-a-half you're searching for is only going to cause us trouble_, it answered shrewdly._

"_Shut up. No one asked you." He smashed the little voice back into its corner before it could reply and continued on down the dark hall. He would have gone to the files room on the second floor, but decided that it would be too risky. GCPD was probably already outside, forming a blockade. Like that would make any difference._

_Instead, he decided to just look through all the rooms until he found who he was looking for. It shouldn't be that hard. The guy was infamous throughout the entire country. Unfortunately, his target was no where in the south ward, so he made his way to the security station, a wide grin on his face. The room was dark and full of unconscious guards. So the moles had done their job. Good. "Hmm, let's see how much chaos we can make," he mumbled, turned to the South wing mainframe. Licking his lips, he grabbed a crowbar out of a guard's hand and swung it hard, smashing into the machinery and causing it to go up in sparks and smoke. A few more brutish hits and the mechanism was as good as dead._

_Silence had suddenly fallen down the hall, where the labyrinth of rooms lay. He paused and listened in giddy anticipation. A moment later, screaming and crying and hysterics exploded once more on the ward, but increased tenfold as the sounds of crashing and scraping doors joined the cacophony. His grin became a crooked-toothed leer and he sauntered out the door, the crowbar resting on his shoulder. "God save the queen," he murmured drolly into the shrieks echoing off the steel walls. _

_When he reentered the maze of steel-door rooms, he wasn't surprised to find the chaos that awaited him. Destroying the security system had, as expected, unlocked the doors and deactivated the electric barriers. Orange-clothed inmates swarmed the passageways in a horde so dense and wild it was almost suffocating. Some wore off-white strait jackets while with others it had been deemed unnecessary. Either way, an entire ward full of liberated and deranged psychopaths would terrify anyone else into shitting their pants. But for him, the bedlam was home sweet home. Chuckling, he moved through the savage, unruly crowd with a content smile on his face. The image looked sorely misplaced. But in madness, he found, his mind didn't seem so mad._

"_Let me go you son of a –"_

"—ring around the rosy, what do you suppose we can do to fight the darkness_—"_

"—_give it! Give it to me! AHHHHHHH! Give it—"_

"—_Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani—"_

"—_free! FREEdom, I love it—"_

"—_how many mushrooms can I stick up your nose before you sh—"_

"—_hee hee HEE HEE hee hee hee hee—"_

_He reached the door the separated the south from the east wing without any trouble. He made sure to avoid the more two-fisted 'patients' because, while he was a top rank criminal, hand-to-hand was not his strong suit. He slipped out a badge he had nicked off of one of the guards and slid it across the identifying screen, watching it accept him and unlock the door. Stupid security. They might as well just let all the convicts run free. He entered the east wing, which had been riled up by all the noise from next door and was now almost as overpowering as the south. He left the door open, knowing the escapees would find it eventually. They weren't idiots, after all. "The more the merrier," he sang cheerfully._

_Once more, he wound through the passageways and looked for his guy in the dark. It shouldn't be too hard; the madman would be in the deepest, darkest corner of Arkham._

"—_it's Two Face, with two two-faced faces. Got it? No, I don't, because we only have one—"_

_223…224…225…nope, nope, nope. The guy was there, though. He knew he was._

"—_use light energy to drive the synthesis of organic molecules from carbon dioxide and—"_

_He had seen the article in the papers, big headlines and everything. It said, _Batman does it again!, _or something ridiculous like that. Stupid Bat. 230…231…232…_

"—_I'll rip your spleen out and squeeze out all the juices. Then I'll make some chocolate cake and use your blood and spleen juice as the icing—"_

_245…246…247…_

_248._

_He knew it was this one. It was the only quiet one in the area and he had learned from experience that when this guy was quiet, he was plotting. Peering through the slit in the door, he saw nothing but thick black; he didn't need to see, though. Before he could speak, the other did._

"_Well, well, well. Look what the crows dragged in." Hysterical chuckling followed, echoing eerily inside the metal and cement cell. "I know they didn't catch you. What, come to mingle with the poor, unfortunate souls?" More laughter. The man's cold, rough voice almost sent chills up his spine._

_Almost._

"_I'm here to propose a bargain," he said to the celled convict._

_A shadow shifted from behind the door. "A bargain? Ooh, now I'm intrigued. What could humble ol' me possibly have to offer you?" Chuckling again._

"_I'll let you out."_

"_Oh? And…"_

"_In return, I want access to your stash."_

_The man inside the dark cell hummed. "My stash? Now, now…what would you be referring to, my dear effigy friend? I have many."_

"_Which stash of yours do you think would possibly hold interest to me?"_

"_Oh, you want my goodies. And then you'll, uh, _free _me from my woeful incarceration. My, you're saccharine." Laughter rang from within, but this time, it was more malicious than before. "What's in it for me?"_

_He leaned forward against the door, scowling. "Isn't freedom enough?"_

"_Freedom? HAHAHAHAHA!" The sharp, wild cackles ricocheted off the walls and down the hall like machine gun fire. "The freedom in this town…it's all a big joke. There is no _freedom. _Not until they're as crazy as me. And they will be! Just watch. All these _sane_ people…they're just one step away from being just like me. Only then can we be really free. When society isn't trying to shove their ideas of freedom down your throat."_

_He growled, frustrated with the raving lunatic (boy, was he a hypocrite). "Would you rather I just leave you here?"_

_Laughter mocked him again, loud and rash. "You have _NOTHING _to threaten me with."_

_He sighed, consenting. "What do you want?"_

"_I want…" Silence for a moment from within. Then, "Half."_

"_The profit?" he asked, giving a chuckle of his own. "You're insane."_

_He heard the man raise himself with an exaggerated sigh from wherever he had been seated and move toward the door. Eyes were suddenly looking into his, narrowed and searching and burning with an insane fire. "No, I'm not. Not. I'm not!"_

_Laughter again._

_He tapped on the cell door with sharp, spastic fingers. "A quarter."_

"_Half."_

"_No. 25%."_

"_5/8."_

"_30%."_

"_6/8."_

"_You're supposed to go down, not up."_

"_But then I'd be lying. I'm, uh, ha ha ha, always a man of my **word**."_

_He snorted. "You're about as honest as the devil."_

"_Ok, look. You can, uh, _threaten _me with eternal abandonment and confinement to your own merry hearts content. But I can just as easily go to your, uh, boss and offer the same charming goodies with_out _the middleman. You're the one needing help, remember? At this point, I'm, uh…holding all the cards." The man laughed long and savagely through the slit in the door. "So, what'll it be?"_

_He ran a frustrated hand through his greasy hair. "35%."_

"_40."_

_He paused. "Deal."_

"_Great!" The man clapped his hands together, rubbing them like a greedy child on Christmas. Suddenly, he turned serious. "I expect you to hold up your end of the deal. Dishonesty makes me a very cranky lunatic."_

_He raised his hand to eye level, revealing a small black remote in his hand._

"_Ooh! What's that?"_

_He sharply pressed the button on the remote and explosions could be heard at a distance. "Detonator."_

_The cell doors unlocked with a rusty, sparking shriek. Grinning like the Cheshire Cat, the man in the strait jacket slammed the door open and stepped out with a mighty stride. "Ah, I love the sound of destruction in the morning."_

"_It's actually one in the afternoon."_

"_It's all the same, though, isn't it? Our diabolical plan will unfold no matter _what _time of day it is!" His laughter chilled the asylum air and almost threatened to hush the chaos that had broken out in the east wing._

_He turned from his new 'associate' to the general direction of the north wing door, but stopped when he realized the man was not behind him. Turning, he studied the nut head, who was looking around at the ceiling with a massive, yellow-toothed grin on his face like he had never seen it before. "What, afraid you'll be homesick?"_

_The man snapped his head back down and locked eyes with him. "I think I'll stick around for a while. Arkham's just so much fun, you know!"_

_He glared. "There's no time. The Bat is probably already here somewhere. Unless you want to turn into bat feces—"_

"_AH! My dear, delusional dark knight," he mused. His smile turned into a leer. "What's a party without a crasher, right!" Screaming laughter pierced through the ruckus._

"_If you break your deal—"_

"_Oh, keep your knickerbockers on, crow face," he cut him off, sneering. "Didn't I already say? Seeing as though _you_'re committing the lawless transgression by breaking _me _out of the loony bin, it'll be _my _word we're trusting." He looked down at himself and began wriggling his arms, but the constricting white jacket prevented him from getting anywhere. Instead, he jumped toward his new partner, back turned, and asked, "Give a pal a hand, would ya?"_

_Sighing, he pulled out a six inch blade and tore down the middle of the jacket with impatient brutality. Grinning, the inmate ripped the white jacket off and waved it around over his head. "HAHAHAHA! Free as a fowl on a bright summers day! HAHAHA…holy heresy, I feel like the Riddler. YUCK!" He laughed and chattered incoherently some more amidst the chaos and noise._

"_As much fun as it is to dance with the dark knight, I have a deadline to meet."_

_The loon snapped around to study him with an icy, unnerving look. "We're all civilized men here, right? As much fun as it must be to feel like you're in control, you're _not. _That's the truth, cold as turkey. The only _real_ fun you can find in this godforsaken spit of dirt is making them feel like they are in control and then…then watching it blow up in their faces…like new years! You have to make sure the anarchy is following you, or there's no point in breaking out. Right? Right." He dug in his deep, dirty pocket for a moment, tongue stuck out to the side, before pulling something out and tossing it to him. _

_The other caught it between his fingers and studied it, intrigued. "What's this?"_

"_My card." He grinned manically. "Parting is such sweet sorrow! Don't worry, when it's time, we'll meet again."_

"_How the hell will I know how to contact you?"_

"_You'll find me. I'm im_possible _to miss. HAHAHAAAHA…!"_

_With that, the scatterbrained, bats in the belfry, mad as a hatter, agent of anarchy walked off into the horde of lunatics and vanished._

* * *

><p>She had never been exposed to human institutions before.<p>

Of course, she had read about them; instructors on Mars taught her of what a clinically insane person is and how to identify them as opposed to normal earthlings. Being in such close contact with them terrified her, though. Their emotions radiated off of them more intensely than anything else she had felt prior. In instances such as these, she was grateful that she did not have to enter their minds; even without doing so, she could tell how lost she would become in all of the chaotic thoughts. Their psyches crashed together in one massive, cacophonous wave, threatening to drown her in their madness.

She couldn't begin to image how Robin dealt with this on a daily basis.

Granted, he did not have the telepathic abilities that she possessed, but in reality, one could become overrun by the mad sensations without it. Like her other teammates, she had not forgotten the last Gotham mission they engaged in and what an utter failure it turned into. Clayface had been frightening to her, but now she realized that so many other, more dreadful criminals existed in this gothic city. That thought chilled her to the bone.

Her, Wally, and Kaldur pushed through the east wing door and entered a raging mad house. The sight of hundreds of insane criminals running about free almost made her turn back and run. She would not, though. Not after what had happened to Robin on their most recent mission. M'gann vowed that day that she would become stronger, wiser, and more aware so that such a thing would _never _happen again.

"Ho-ly shit," Wally muttered beside her. She could hear him clearly, even over the noise, for her thoughts reflected his almost perfectly.

The horde of inmates swarmed every which way like enraged ants out of a busted anthill. Darkling, the leers and grins and scowls were a sea of wraiths threatening to engulf her in their black, sinister clutches. She stepped back, brown eyes wide with unmasked terror. She couldn't do it. There was too much…too much hate, glee, fear, grief, _madness_…

_M'gann_.

The mental communication shattered her all-consuming fear.

It was Kaldur who had spoken. _Do not lose courage. Together, we can face anything._

Shaking herself, she nodded. _Right. I'm sorry._

Boldly, the three continued on into the horde, attempting to keep heart despite the dreadful odds. While some of the inmates approached them wildly, others didn't even acknowledge their presence. M'gann was grateful for this; it was hard enough to face their psyches, let alone their faces. To keep her mind off of the mounting dread, she observed their behavior on an objective scale. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to their actions. While one was slamming himself repeatedly into a concrete while, another sung _I Once Loved a Lass_ at the top of his lungs. A few minutes of observing, though, and she wished she could plug her ears as chills raced across her arms.

"—men at some times are masters of their fates: the fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but—"

"—_la la da pa da le na da na! Ve va da pa da le na la dumda! La la da_—"

"—it's so dark here. Why? Where did the sun go? Where? Where? Wh—"

"—IF THOSE DAMN GUARDS DON'T GIVE ME BACK MY MACHETTE, I'LL—"

"—can't find my brain. Has anyone seen it? Where are you, sweet little brain? I'll find you—"

She couldn't understand most of what they said, and she was thankful for this. The mind of a mad man was a deadly place to roam.

_Hey, Rob_, Wally suddenly said (or more appropriately, thought). She hoped the link was still connected to the other group.

_Yeah? _He answered.

_What chances do you think we have of setting up security again? 'Cuz, um, it's pretty bad over here._

_You can give it a try_, Robin said. _How successful you are depends on how our baddie took out the system. We're heading for the security room in the south wing now._

_What would you advise us do concerning the roaming convicts? _Kaldur asked.

_I wouldn't try and take them out until you've got security and power back up. Otherwise, we're sitting ducks. If you shut the door behind you, then it locked and they won't get out for now, _Robin answered.

_Actually_, Wally tagged on. _I was more worried about _us _than the outside world._

Amusement drifted to them from Robin through the link. _Most of them are confused schizophrenics, KF. Just stick to the empty hallways._

_Gotcha._

The link fell somewhat silent after that. M'gann wished they would speak again and push aside the pounding fear that had rapidly begun to take hold. The insane did attack them, despite what Robin had said, but most approached them with the air of seeing something that wasn't really there.

When a savage looking man with long brown hair approached her with a busted pipe in hand, saying "Mommy, what are you doing here? I thought you hated me," M'gann swiped a frantic hand at him and he went soaring across the hall, slamming into the wall with a telepathic force that sent him to the floor, unconscious.

"I don't like it here," she whispered as they turned down a (thankfully) empty passageway.

"You're telling me," Wally answered, words quick with anxiety. "No wonder the Bats is so crazy."

"I would not say that with Robin listening," Kaldur advised calmly, but his eyes roamed the shadows absently like the devil was after them. "You do not know what he tells the Batman in private."

Robin's cackle echoed across the link (how is that even possible?). _Yeah, Wally. You wouldn't want the big, bad Bat to get you._

_Hey! I'm not the only one scared of him! _he shouted indignantly. _Right, guys?_

Silence.

Amusement drifted faintly off of Superboy's psyche. _I think it's just you._

Wally pouted and crossed his arms. _Whatever._

The empty hall eventually led them to the security room. A few escapees roved about in the room, sniffing and beating at unconscious guards. Wally sped at them in a blur, grabbed them and slammed them into the wall, before returning to her side. The room was dark, but she could see that someone had been there prior to them _and _the inmates, most likely. There were no signs of wounds on the guards, so they had probably been gassed.

"Not good," she heard Kaldur say, breaking her from her observations.

She looked at him. "What's wrong?"

"We will not be setting up security anytime soon," he answered grimly, pointing to the far wall. She gasped.

The security mainframe had been completely destroyed. Wally sped over to it, poking at a loose piece of metal with his toe. "So…now what?"

_Robin_, Kaldur called telepathically.

It was a moment before he answered. _I'm…assuming you just got to the security room_, he finally answered distractedly.

_Dude, this thing is toast. It looks like it was blown up,_ Wally tagged on, still rummaging through the pile of destruction.

_He didn't just shut it down because he didn't want us to set it back up at all_, Robin said, sounding as if he was speaking to himself. _I am _**so **_not whelmed._

_So what now_? Artemis grumbled. _We can't just leave all these lunatics to run around. They'll end up killing each other._

_I'm trying to hack into North wing's security. I'm gonna see if I can reroute it to compensate for…_He suddenly stopped.

_What? _Superboy growled. M'gann could figure from what she new of him that he needed to pound away at someone to feel as if they were making a difference.

_Crap! _Robin shouted. _North wing just went down. How the hell is this guy getting through? He'd have to have…of course he does. There're guards lying around everywhere._

_What are you—_

_Wally, the guy's just shut down North wing. He'll be heading for the front entrance now. Get there and wait for him._

Wally gave Kaldur and M'gann a nervous look before turning to the door and speeding out. _On it._

_Are you sure it's good for him to go alone? _Artemis asked, for once sounding worried for the red-headed speedster.

Robin paused for a moment. _You go with him, _he finally decided.

_Oh, so _I _have to put up with Kid Mouth alone in a hysterical asylum. Great, _she grumbled as she went, but M'gann could tell she was happy to be able to protect him. Artemis would never admit that, though, not even to herself.

_I've rerouted the West wing's security system to compensate for South, East, and North. It won't last long, just long enough. Everyone else try and get the lunatics back in cells. Just be careful and don't take on too many at once._

_Right, _Kaldur replied and nodded to M'gann. Together, they raced out of the room and back out into anarchy.

They paused at the edge of the horde, realizing for the first time just how much shit their team was in. This mission made the Clayface one look like child's play. If Batman had known it would be like this, M'gann was sure he wouldn't have sent them here alone. She had faith in her team, but in situations such as these, when they were facing what would give the Justice League a run for their money, she recognized the bleakness of the situation. The guards would have had the situation partly under control even before they arrived, but without them, there was no way her team would get out of this unscathed. Even with Gotham City Police Department outside forming a blockade, it was only backup, really. Relying on them would entail killing all of the escaped inmates and that was something no one wanted. The team had to take out all of these mad men before they escaped and killed someone or got killed themselves. Just glancing at the raving mass, she knew. They all knew.

They were in deep shit.

Kaldur pulled out his water blades and beat the first convict he saw back into an empty cell, slamming the door shut on the man before he even knew what hit him. With a rusted screech, the door locked automatically. Robin's expert hacking was the only thing giving them a chance. Nodding to her, they dove into the throng with grim determination.

M'gann used her telepathy to shove the weaker ones into cells, managing to shut multiple doors at once. In some cases, more than one inmate ended up in a cell, but she didn't really care at this point. With luck, they would beat each other unconscious. She came across threatening lunatics more frequently than she preferred and shoving wasn't enough to get them locked away. Somewhere down the hallway, she heard Kaldur fighting them off viciously, but could not risk turning to check on him. Doing that would no doubt cost her head.

They managed to work through three passageways with only minor scrapes and bruises. She now sported a bloody nose, having been punched in the face at one point by a burly bald man with a skull tattoo. Kaldur had a slightly-bleeding cut on his jaw where multiple hits with a jagged pipe had managed to break through his thick skin. They were sweaty and tired, breathing hard to try and calm nerves as well as heart rate. The hall they stood in now was empty, with all of the criminals once inhabiting it now behind bars. The screaming and laughing and sobbing continued, but behind bars, it suddenly seemed far more peaceful than it had when they first arrived.

Once again, M'gann found herself understand Robin and Batman more than she once had.

She looked at Kaldur, breathing hard still. "Should we keep moving?"

He nodded. "We have no time to waste. There are still convicts roaming about that should not be."

"I hope the others are okay," she mumbled as they began moving again quickly. _I hope Superboy's okay_, she thought secretly, but shielded the thought so the others would not hear it. She couldn't afford to distract them.

They had almost reached the end of the hall when Kaldur grabbed M'ganns shoulder, stopping her cold. She glanced up at him, brown eyes questioning, but he was studying something in front of them. She swiveled around to follow his gaze and froze as well. There was a man there, standing still and silent in the cloaking darkness at the mouth of the hall. She couldn't make out anything but a silhouette and dark, wild eyes. Something about _this _man sent chills up her spine where the others had not.

"So," the man finally spoke and his voice made her shiver. It was drawled and rough and sharp; she could almost picture that voice coming from the mouth of a devil. "The big, bad Bat sends kiddies to do a monster's job. Ha ha hee hee ha ho haaa…that's just RICH!" His laughter, high and savage and mad, echoed through the now-silent passageway. She took a step back, moving beside Kaldur for strength. This man frightened her. Terrified her beyond anything else. He wasn't normal, even compared to these other insane men.

"Who…who are you?" Kaldur called, his voice only faltering slightly. She always had admired his courage.

"Me? I think the _real _million dollar question here is _who are you_?" the man answered, mocking and deliberate. "This is…this is _home_. But you…you're far far _far _far far from home, aren't you?" He chuckled. "You think you can just barge in here uninvited like some half-crazed nut face wedding crasher? HA! HAHAHA! Well…this _is _Arkham, so…MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME!" His vicious laughter filled the air again, sending chills across her arms. "Oh, don't worry. I know we all have a tight schedule, right? Yours is making order, mine is making anarchy…it's all the same, though, isn't it? The more you try and _control _the world, the more it fights back. What do you think the American Revolution was? PROPAGANDA! It was a radical movement led by a filthy, tobacco-growing rich man who had too much time on his hands. They may have _led _the war, but it was the poor ignorant fools who paid for it. _Life's a joke! _The Bat and his Bird Boy are just one step away from learning that. Their, uh, their _League _of defenders, or whatever they call it…not far behind. HAHAHAHA!"

Kaldur opened his mouth to retort in defense of their mentors, but the man cut him off. "See, I'd _love _to stick around and have a nice chat over tea, but you know how it is…places to go, people to see, sanity to destroy. Tootles!" His mad laughter would haunt them forever.

M'gann barely caught the thing he had hurtled toward her before it hit her in the head. He was gone before she could toss it back, his chuckles fading with distance. Holding it cautiously in green fingers, she studied it with a bemused face. "What…I don't understand." Kaldur leaned over her shoulder to peer at it, a hand still tight on his blades.

It was a card. A white card from a deck of fifty two that she had seen earthlings play with. On the center danced a colorful figure in old-looking clothes.

A joker.

She dropped it, but it was too late to move away.

In an instant, the card exploded in a screaming mass of blue and crimson flames.

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><p>Tada! So, I'm sure you know by know who at least one of the bad guys is. After that cliffhanger, it should be pretty obvious. You could probably get the other bad guy too, if you look real close at the first scene. I make references to him.<p>

Please continue to review. I thank you all for the great support I've gotten so far. I love advice and critizism. It makes me a better writer.


	5. Chapter 5

I am _so _sorry about how long this took! Between school and rehersal and applying for college, time got away from me. Plus, I hit a huge writters block, which (I'm sure you can agree with me) SUCKS! This isn't as good as I wanted it to be, nor is it as long as you deserve, but it's the best I could come up with now and I wasn't going to put this off anymore. Once again, I'm really sorry and I hope you don't hate me forever :)

Disclaimer: Don't own YJ.

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><p>Artemis was <em>not <em>happy about the new plan. At all.

"Of all people, I have to get stuck with you."

"This is no walk in the park for me either, Arty."

"Shut up."

"Make me!"

"No, shut up! We're trying to keep it low, stupid."

"Oh. Right."

Silence fell between them, but she quickly wished he would continue his mindless jabbering. Anything was better than the relentless sounds of madness and Arkham. Artemis would never admit out loud that she was glad Robin had teamed her up with Kid Flash… Who knew what kind of trouble he could get himself into alone…not like she cared or anything. This was purely requisite for being on the team. That's it. Nothing more.

"So, do you have any idea who we're looking for?" Wally asked as they neared the north entrance. He had slowed down to keep up with her.

"We don't need to know who we're looking for. Just don't let anyone out," she replied, sweeping her eyes from side to side. It was hard to make out anything in the dark and the chaos. Anyone could sneak up on them and they wouldn't know until it was too late.

Wally glanced at the faces watching them. "Easier said than done."

Most of the cells were empty now, as far as Artemis could tell. She had lived in Gotham pretty much all her life and could honestly say this was one the worst breakout since 1999. If all these convicts got out…she shuddered. That would be a massacre on both sides. Artemis understood Robin's reasoning for wanting to keep all the convicts inside the gates. Sure, there was a GCPD blockade out there waiting to solve the issue, but if they relied on law enforcement's fire power, half of Arkham would be dead. That is a death toll that The League does not want to deal with. The less blood, the better.

But like Wally said: easier said than done.

Artemis opened her mouth to speak, but the sounds of a sudden, violent explosion cut her off. The blast resounded through the hallways and dust showered them from the ceiling. The two stopped and looked back in the direction the sound had come. In its wake, a temporary hush had fallen over Arkham.

Wally glanced at Artemis. "What was that?"

"I'm not sure, but I don't like it." Drawing an arrow, she called on the mind link. _Guys, what was that?_

No answer.

_Guys?_

Nothing. Her heart dropped to her shoes when she realized that the link was no longer up.

"Wally, the link is down. We're cut off from everyone else."

His eyes widened. "No! Something must have happened to Megan. We need to—"

"What we need to do is finish the mission," she cut him off. "We're both worried about them, but we can't let these convicts get away. That would destroy the city."

He sighed but nodded in consent and they continued to sprint toward the front entrance. They had already wasted so much time. She could only hope that they weren't too late. Turning the corner, she spotted the steel door separating north wing from the security ward. There were many crazed convicts gathered around it, but it appeared as though Robin's power rerouting had worked. The doors weren't opening for them.

"If the power's back up, why are we protecting the door?" Wally asked, grabbing a couple of the escapees and slamming them back into cells.

Aretmis cleared the rest of the lunatics near the door, then knocked another arrow and studied the darkness. "Because we're trying to catch the guy. If he got into the other wards, he must have a security pass or something that will get him through this one."

"I hate this mission," Wally grumbled. "There are too many of them and not enough of us."

"Quit whining. Robin and Batman do this all time."

"But I'm not Batman and Robin! I'm Kid Flash. Gotham city isn't my thing."

"Stop complaining!"

"Why should I?"

"Why don't you go whine to _Batman_ about how unfair Arkham is after we're through here? I'm sure he'll love that."

Wally scowled. "You enjoy tormenting me, don't you?"

"It's my favorite pastime—"

The power abruptly cut out, bathing them in darkness. The electric security system audibly switched off and the sounds of screaming and madness didn't seem enough to fill up the silence that followed. "Um…" Wally began. "Why did…"

"Not sure." She eyed the impenetrable darkness around them warily. "I don't like this."

"Robin said that he rerouted the power so it would keep all four wards going," Wally said, thinking out loud. "The power from one system wasn't enough to keep all of them going for long, though. If we've lost power, that means the others have too."

"So basically…"

"…all of Arkham is completely defenseless."

The sounds of slow, deliberate clapping reached their ears. Heart pounding, Artemis turned back toward the hallway with her arrow pointed into the dark. "Who's there?"

"Very good. Very good. You figured it out." She could tell just by the way this man spoke that he was insane.

"Figured what out?" Wally called, greens eyes rapidly searching.

"Well, my plan, of course." The approaching footsteps stopped.

Artemis' grip tightened on her bow. "What plan?"

The man stepped forward to where their adjusting eyes could see him. "What better distraction than a mass Arkham breakout?"

Wally's eyes widened. "Distraction?"

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><p>"Robin, the link is down! I can't contact M'gann or anyone!" Superboy called across the hall while tossing five escapees back into cells. He had tried to contact Mg'ann just after the explosion to check on her, but found that the mind link was no longer functioning. He could only assume the worst.<p>

"I know! I've already tried," Robin answered, coming up beside him. "We need to get over to the east wing."

Superboy nodded and they sprinted in the direction they knew the south-east door was. If something had happened to her, he would never forgive himself. He should have been with her. She was more of a distraction away from him than near him, as far as he was concerned. He was angry at Robin for that. How could he separate them? It was stupid and would only get someone killed. If M'gann was hurt, Connor would never forgive him.

They reached the steel door and stopped cold.

It was already open.

Cursing, Robin darted through it with Superboy on his tail.

The explosion had clearly occurred in the east wing. Thick, black smoke hovered over their heads. Piles of rubble made the passageways a hazard zone and the power was completely out, consuming the east wing in black shadows. Connor coughed as lingering dust and smoke entered his lungs. Things weren't looking good for them.

Occasionally they would run across a stray convict, but otherwise, the wing was empty. The silence unnerved him after such a long exposure to screaming and madness. Connor could tell that Robin was nervous as well; quiet in Arkham could only mean one thing. "Where are the criminals?"

Robin shook his head. "This isn't looking good. If this ward is down, who knows what's going on with Wally and Artemis." He stopped and turned to his holographic computer.

"What are you doing?" Connor growled.

"There's no power in the other wards either."

"I thought you said that you rerouted it or something?"

"I did, but I knew it wasn't going to last long. One system can't support four. There's not enough power and this mission is taking too long."

Connor slammed his fist into the wall, sending down a rain of unsettled concrete. "We have to find Mg'ann and Kaldur!"

"I know. You stay here and look for them. I'll go back to north wing and help Wally and Artemis. Here," he said, handing Superboy a comm. link. "Keep me posted." With that said, he turned and disappeared into the dark.

Superboy continued down the empty hallway with his heart throbbed in his chest. He had to find her. He had to save her. Nothing else mattered. Just M'gann.

His feet pounded against the concrete and echoed sharply off of the steel walls. She should have linked them back up by now, right? Where was she? Why did he feel so alone all the time? Why couldn't he protect her?

His breath came ragged and harsh now, sounding almost like a wolf's growl against the stillness. He had to save her. Superman always saved the woman he loved, right? He always got there in time. Always saved the day in the end.

Or was hope just a childish fantasy?

It couldn't be, though. It hadn't been with Robin. He had hoped that Robin would pull through, and he had. Mg'ann was strong enough to make it through this. They all would. Together. They swore as a team that something like the last mission would never happen again. So why did it feel as though it was happening now?

He stopped.

"Kaldur!"

Heart hammering, he sprinted to the unconscious Atlantean at the end of the hall. Connor knelt beside him and felt for a pulse first (at least Cadmus had taught him something). It was there, weak but steady. Burns covered his teammate's back and arms, red and raw and blistering. Then he noticed something beneath Kadlur. Something green and slender and breathing.

"M'gann!"

Carefully, he moved Kaldur onto his side and extracted the Martian girl out from underneath him. Though feverish and unconscious, she had not been burned. It took Connor a moment to understand why. Knowing her weakness to fire, Kaldur must have shielded her from the explosion. Connor had to get them medical attention _now_.

Then the sharp echo of gunfire reached his ears.

Being the clone of Superman, he probably should have noticed it before, but he had been too wrapped up in finding Mg'ann to notice much else. Another rookie mistake to add to the list.

He stood, turned the next corner, and stopped dead.

Gotham's nighttime sky was staring him full in the face, broad and open and _wrong_.

Whatever caused the explosion had torn Gotham's east wing wide open. He knew where the convicts were now. The sounds of bloodshed below told him enough.

They were all in Gotham, thieving and raping and murdering.

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><p>Like I said before, it's pretty short. Please review and tell me what you thought and how I can improve. You're reviews are much appreciated and I am gratefull for them.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

**So , yeah. Sorry doesn't even cut it at this point. But yeah, I'm sooooo sorry. I ran into writers block and I've been super busy but I'm sure you don't really care about that so I'm not gonna go into it. I'm sure you were expected this to be a lot longer, but this is what I managed to come up with. Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

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><p>Wally cursed.<p>

Yeah, that wasn't normally his thing.

But he _totally _knew this guy.

Seriously, when your best friend was the Dark Knight's protégé, you learn to recognize a few people. Like this one.

Wally was just grateful that Dick thought ahead and gave them those gas masks. Things were about to get ugly.

Beside him, Artemis' bow was taunt and ready to fire. "Distraction from what?"

The lunatic giggled. _Giggled. _Like a little school girl with a crock full of secrets. "Oh, no no _no. _If I told you that then the surprise would be ruined."

"I hate surprises," she grumbled, scowling.

Kid Flash was vibrating now, eager to finish this and find M'gann. The link had yet to come back up and not knowing if his teammates were okay was making the fastest boy alive _very _nervous. "There's not gonna be a surprise, bag-face! This ends here!"

The man didn't giggle this time. He full out laughed. Snickers turned to cackles turned to chortles until the ten-screws-too-loose maniac was gasping for breath. Those leering brown eyes shot toward them, gleaming with promises of evil and pain. "Is that so?" he asked, his voice deep and breathy. "Brats. I'm already done here."

Tense and no doubt as afraid as he was, Artemis loosed the arrow under her fingers, watching him duck under it even as she was aiming another one. The barrage of arrows did little to stop him, however, as he proved to be far more flexible than they expected. Kid Flash raced forward, grabbed his arms, and spun around in a whirlwind until he had the criminal pinned to the stone wall with his arms locked behind his back. "Not so tough now, are you?" Wally gloated.

The man turned his head, slow and deliberate. There was a grin on his face. In the dark, he looked like the devil.

"Wally!"

Kid Flash jumped back like he'd been struck, missing the brunt of the knife that came at him as the man twisted and broke the Flash-boy's hold. With more space, now, the knife finished its arc with silver flourish, slicing into Wally's arm even as he stumbled away. Artemis resumed her volley of arrows to cover for him and, finding his footing, he sped backwards until he was beside her again. The wound dripped red between his fingers, but all in all, he considered himself extremely lucky. The female archer had saved his life.

But the lunatic was dodging projectiles like he had done it before (and he probably had), and even when they found their mark, they didn't seem to faze him.

"You...Damn…Freak…" Artemis growled, loosing arrows with each word. "Hold still!"

He was laughing again, a hand on his hat as he came steadily closer. "Are you trying to beat me? You'll have to do better than that."

She snarled. Her tempo increased.

And Kid Flashed watched. He waited, tense, vibrating, ready for the moment when—

There.

He spotted the opening in his opponent dance and shot forward, seizing the moment before it was gone. With the man's body turned the way it was, his back was exposed. It was the perfect opportunity to—

He stopped dead.

The lunatic was looking right at him, a cartridge raised in his left hand.

Kid Flash was no idiot. He spent enough time with Dick to know what that was. And _oh shit we're in trouble._

"MASKS!"

He didn't think it was enough of a warning. The mask was on his face a spilt second before the cartridge burst open and hit the ground. He was turned around and sprinted toward Artemis before he could determine what color the gas was.

But the archer was no idiot. She hadn't even needed the warning to have her mask out and on her face. Wally grabbed her around the waist and then they were darting out the iron doors behind them and down the dank stone hall that had brought them to that hell hole what seemed like a lifetime ago.

Kid Flash could feel the gas pursue them. Could hear the steady footsteps follow in their wake. Could sense the piercing gaze of a madman burning through their skulls.

In an instant, he was down the hall and back in the maximum security ward. Skidding to a halt, he turned on his heels to figure out what this enemy's next move would be.

The man was standing in the doorway beneath the warning sign. Lights from outside shone through the narrow windows from behind, casting an eerie glow on the white gas that billowed in clouds around him. Head cocked, hands clasped, grin wide, he looked like a demon poised before the gates of hell.

"End of the road, buddy!" Artemis growled.

The man chortled. And a sudden, sinking feeling churning in their guts.

"Take a peek outside before you start counting your crows."

Then Wally heard it. In the dead silence of the Asylum, gunfire and screams drifted toward them from the stone doors behind. The doors leading outside, where the police were waiting.

Distracted, Artemis didn't see the knife hurtling toward her until it was too late to stop it. As if time had frozen, Wally waited for the impact. For the inevitable bloodshed and death of his beloved teammate. The silver blade twisted in the dark, humid air, its path as straight as a bullet. And he moved to stop it but it was too late, nothing he did could stop it now and _no no NO! It can't end here—_

And it struck.

The archer's gas mask went flying. The knife sliced true across her cheek before clattering to the ground somewhere behind them. Crimson blood streamed from the wound, but that was the least of her worries.

Kid Flash whipped back around to face the man. "You missed," he uttered, stunned.

"I didn't miss, stupid boy. I hit right where I intended."

And suddenly, Artemis was screaming beside him.

He panicked, grabbing her arms as she curled up on the cold stone floor and cried, yelled, screamed at some unseen enemy.

He could do nothing, though. The gas had claimed her now. He had seen what this man could do to Dick. And he felt helpless. Utterly, completely helpless.

And then the screams and gunfire outside were becoming savage and he knew the gas had already seeped through the doors and tainted the Gotham air.

"What did you do?"

There was a grin pulling at the stitches in the sacking of his face. The noose around his neck swayed as he walked. One bony hand was stuffed in his black overcoat while the other tipped the ragged brown hat atop his head in a mock sort of greeting.

"I'm Scarecrow, little boy. I did what I do best."

Another cartridge was raised.

But Wally had taken Artemis and was already gone, a flash in the grim, raging storm, as the man called Scarecrow turned the blockade outside into holocaust.

* * *

><p>Connor cursed.<p>

The temptation to leap through that hole and into the fray was almost too much to resist. He was born—_created_—to fight. Gotham was a blood bath and he knew that he could do something about it. But at the same time…

He looked back down at M'gann and Kaldur, still unconscious and in need of medical attention that he could not provide.

He had to choose: fail his team or fail his mission.

Well, the decision was obvious.

He just needed someone to handle the mess outside.

Raising his hand to his ear, he activated the comm. link Robin had given him earlier. "Superboy to Robin, have you found the others yet?"

He waited for a moment. Static. No answer.

"Robin, there's a breach in the wall. Did you find the others?"

Still nothing.

He shoved down the dread that had slowly begin to crawl up his spine.

"Robin!"

But there was no need to panic. He was Robin. He probably just had his hands full at the moment and would answer in a minute.

Two minutes.

_He's fine._

Five minutes.

_He's Batman's protégé, for god's sake._

Ten minutes.

_But isn't that what we said last time?_

"Dammit!" Connor growled and smashed his fist into the adjacent wall, sending dust flying.

He needed to find the others. But M'gann and Kaldur needed help. But the others could be dying and he couldn't just leave half his team. He needed to…he needed…

He needed help.

Growling again, he grabbed his two unconscious teammates, apologized in his head

—To who? He couldn't say. Robin. M'gann. His leader. His mission. Everything—and leaped through the hole in the wall, out into the raging, screaming night.

GCPD was way in over their heads. Guns blazed, lighting up the night like some macabre firework show. Looking down on them from Arkham's roof, they looked like ants struggling to defend their territory. And the ants were losing. The longer he watched, the further back the blockade was pushed, until they were stretched taunt and thin like rubber about to snap.

The storm on the charcoal horizon was getting closer. Wind whipped sideways at the Asylum, sending the screams and smoke further into the city. Darkness settled deep into Gotham's bones, the squall shrieked with wild laughter, and humid air smelled of fire and death.

Connor resisted the urge to shiver as he climbed higher up the roof until he found a relatively flat and stable area. Sighing, he lowered his unconscious teammates onto the dirty stone. He didn't want to leave them here, but no where else in the city was safer now. Even if the criminals could climb to the roof, they would be traveling as far from Arkham as they could. He had no other choice, if he wanted to find the rest of his team.

He measured their pulses and made sure they were breathing adequately before standing again and sliding back to the edge of the roof.

There was a hole in the blockade now, where criminals were slipping past the SWAT teams and into the city. The snipers were trying to pick them off, but too many were getting away.

This storm was about to bring a massacre with it.

But _dammit _he had to find his team.

With scowl on his face and fear in his eyes, Superboy grabbed one of the stone gargoyles' head and launched himself back through the whole. The fighting outside became muted, though not enough to block it out.

Those where the screams of dying men. There was the laughter of insanity. That was the wind of hell upon them. And Connor could do nothing to stop it.

So instead, he tore across the now empty east wing and through the wide-open doorway into the north. There were only a couple of criminals actually in Arkham now, but with a swift punch, Superboy made short work of them. The hallways were dark and silent. He felt as though reality had shifted and he was in some altered dimension, where the world was dead and the shadows were his only companions.

"Robin," he called into the comm. link again. "Where are you?"

Still nothing but static.

"Dammit, Robin, answer me!"

His shifted reality theory was beginning to sound incredibly plausible.

But ten minutes later, he wasn't alone anymore.

Robin's voice cracked through the comm. link. From the sound of it, he had switched channels and was now broadcasting to all of JL.

"Robin to League." Superboy stopped. There was something off about his voice.

"Someone. _*cough*_ Anyone. There's a…a breach in the Asylum. My team's—_ah, shit_—my team's separated. We need…need help. P-please."

* * *

><p>Robin cursed.<p>

Worry gnawed at his mind like a little troll. He trusted his team; that wasn't what had him on edge. It was the fact that they had _no _idea what they were up against. Despite what they must think, he did, in fact, remember their last Gotham mission and how dangerously close to the edge they had come.

You know, that edge where you're looking down and your stomach drops because you can't see worth crap and you just _know_ that you'll be dead before you hit the bottom but there's no way you're not going to fall.

He was sure he would loose his team that day. And that's the worst part, isn't it? Not the death part, but the part where you realize that they're going to die, too, and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.

Sort of like now.

He realized that this mission felt a lot like the last one. The only difference was that before, they only had to deal with Clayface. This time, it was half of Gotham's crazies. Arkham was a problem for him and Batman on a good day. This was one of the worst breakouts he had seen, and he had no idea who caused it or why or where they were now. He _hated _not knowing. But it was worse this time, because his team was all separated and they had no idea what Arkham Asylum can do to a person. He had to find them.

This was a disaster. Heavy on the 'dis'.

And Batman was going to _kill _him when this was over.

Of course, he wouldn't complain. He deserved any punishment the Bats would dish out. He had failed his team. Again. This was just like…

_Just like the last mission._

He shook his head and pushed that grim thought away. It wouldn't end like that. He wouldn't let it.

First thing's first. He had to find Wally and Artemis. Which was easier said than done, considering he didn't even know if they had made it to the north wing's front entrance. It wasn't a matter of trust, or even faith, but reality. And they were about as in tune with Gotham's reality as the Joker was with theirs.

The more time passed, the less likely he was to find them. With so many loose criminals in Arkham, anything could happen. But as he continued on through north wing, incapacitating convicts as he went, he realized that the asylum had become emptier. Stagnant. For a building full of liberated loons, he would almost call it…

…quiet.

And _god_, did that scare him.

Because really, he could only draw one conclusion from that. They were getting out. Somewhere. Either they had found a way through the main entrance (which meant Wally and Artemis had failed, which meant the freak who caused all this had gotten away, which meant they could be hurt and bleeding and dying and _god please no…_), or the convicts where getting out somewhere else (and if it were any other situation, he would have thrown that theory out the window simply because the Arkham walls were so tough, but the fact that they were already in the middle of a breach compelled him to keep it in mind; that explosion earlier wasn't helping to calm his mind either). Either way, things had just gone from worse to hell.

Because they had skipped over 'bad' the moment they walked through those doors.

So he kept going, fighting and searching with ragged breathing and a pounding heart while he hoped and reasoned and _prayed _that they were okay. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness by now, having spent countless nights patrolling the gloomy Gotham streets, but an ominous shadow had fallen over Arkham that no amount of pupil dilation was going to fix. He had felt this before, just before his parents fell.

Something was rotten in the city of Gotham.

He heard voices a split second before he reached the end of the hallway and quickly skid to a stop. Softly, he inched along the wall at an angle where the darkness devoured him whole and listened to the conversation around the corner.

"I would get out of those clothes if I were you, Paine," a woman drawled, her voice heavy Brooklyn and awfully familiar. "Some cons might mistake you for the fuzz." Her laugh boomed, wild and loud, and filled up the ward like carbon monoxide.

"Pretty sure that's the least of m' worries." A male voice, tense and eager. _Paine? _"Do you think the schizophrenic is already gone? Don't really feel like getting gassed by him tonight," the male grumbled. Robin wasn't sure who he was referring to, but she certainly knew.

"You don't worry about him," she snapped. "Just get your damn job done and he won't even know you're here."

It hit him suddenly, like a ton of bricks. He knew exactly who she was and if he was right (which he was never really wrong), then they were in deeper shit than he originally thought. He had to find his team. This mission was taking a dangerous new path.

"It _is_ done," the man whined. "Got it all right here."

Robin's brain was running a mile a minute. _Got what? _This wasn't just a jailbreak. _Distraction. Covering for something else. But how many players are involved?_ This was more than he was prepared to deal with.

The woman cackled again. Then she snarled, "Get, then! Or do you wanna get caught by Bats?"

The man yelped something along the lines of "Yes, ma'am" and took off, his panicky footsteps disappearing with an echo down the next hallway.

Robin juggled the pros and cons of just letting the woman go. He still had to find his friends. But judging from the tone of her voice, she knew more than any of the other bozos running around and would probably prove useful. She snickered before moving to run down the hall. Making a split-second decision, he grabbed a bat-a-rang from his belt and flung it through the darkness. It whistled as it cut across the chilled asylum air before embedding in the wall an inch from the fleeing woman's face. She shrieked in shock, turning wide eyes on the black bat weapon sticking out of the wall like a dagger.

"Next time, I won't miss," Robin avowed, voice calm and clear.

A broad grin broke across her face before she spun on her heels to face the direction his voice had come. "Aww puddin', you don't mean that!"

He ignored her and fingered another batarang. "I know for a fact that you broke out six months ago. So what are you doing here?"

Her toothy smile reminded him distinctly of the Joker. "Wouldn't ya like t' know!" she cried, followed by a shriek of bloodcurdling laughter.

His fists clenched. He did _not _have time for this. "Enough games, Quinn."

She slapped her hands onto her hips and leaned forward, winking at him through thick black eye shadow and white face paint and red lipstick smeared across her lips like blood. "You're just a sore loser."

"Only when I don't know all the rules."

"Well then maybe you should stop playin'," she shot back, grinning wildly. Her dark eyes glinted with sharp awareness, like a farmer might study a hog just before he killed it. She knew something; she also knew that he would know that she knew, but that he didn't know what, which was the only reason she was letting him know that she knew.

As if this mission wasn't complicated enough. Now Robin had lunatics leading him in circles like a dog chasing squirrels. He had the sudden urge to lunge at Quinn and beat her over the head with a club. As it was, he settled for ignoring her. "So, come to break out the Joker?"

She shook her head violently and the bells of her limp, black and red jester's hat tinkled dully. "No no no! I don' work for Mistah J no more! I got me a new boss."

Robin arced an eyebrow, intrigued. "And who would that be?"

"Wouldn't ya like t' know!" she shrieked again. Robin smashed down the urge to rub his temples. He needed to end this.

Now.

Before she could so much as yelp, he lunged forward, whipped out his staff, and swung it at the female criminal. She jumped back with surprisingly quick reflexes and drew a stainless steel, .44 magnum revolver, aiming it point blank at the bird. Robin quickly back flipped, dogging as the gun fired repeatedly. He hadn't found his feet beneath him when Harley rushed forward and threw herself at him, flooring them both and knocking the wind out of the ill-prepared bird. He belatedly noticed the knife in her right hand and panicked images of the last mission flooded his brain. _No. _This couldn't happen again. Because this time, his team wasn't there to save him. This time, his team needed the saving. He had to be there. He couldn't fail again.

But _shit_,that knife was plunging toward him and Harley had a grin on her face like the devil and he could practically smell death in the air—

Agony exploded through his right shoulder, burning like fire and magma and hell; a strangled cry ripped from his throat before he could shove it down, and he hated giving her the pleasure of hearing him scream, but _damn _did it hurt. Before his mind could catch up with his body, Quinn was leaning forward and her lips were crushing his with lustful violence.

He froze.

Harley didn't.

His breaths came harsh and wild as she straddled his hips, resting on him in a way that sent his heart hammering and his hormones racing. Slowly, she laid herself across his lean body, with her curves molding into his as her breasts rested shamelessly across his chest. He jerked away, disgusted and nauseous, but she grabbed his face with both hands and seized his mouth again while her fingernails dug bloody welts on his skin. He tried to look away, to escape, to fight her, but _dammit _his body was betraying him and his mind was a mess as Arkham became a rush of contact and lust.

She pulled away long enough to whisper in his ear. "Don' tell the boss man. He won' be too happy wit' me." Then she had his lips again and he was lost.

Her tongue forced its way down his throat, long and slimy and greedy. He tried not to gag as it explored his oral cavity fervently. Her body was crushing his and her hair was in his face, smelling like peppermint and filth in an overwhelming, repulsive blend. Her mouth tasted like rot and rank Gotham air but for the life of him he couldn't make his arms work to push her off. Suddenly, her tongue retracted and her grimy yellow teeth tore into his bottom lip like an animal. He could feel salty blood roll down his chin and into his mouth as she continued to chew on the soft flesh.

Her hands finally moved from his face and ventured down until they found the bottom of his red vest. He gathered enough of his wits to try and roll her off, but found with terrifying shock that he suddenly couldn't move. Seeing his face, Harley giggled and fingered his bleeding lip. "Oh, no no no, little bird," she breathed, hand moving back to grope his firm torso and chest with a violent, insatiable touch. "You're all mine."

Panic became dread. There was nothing he could do. Nothing. His team was out there somewhere, separated and fighting and maybe even dying, and he was here with—

She fingered the hem of his vest again before ripping it open ravenously. It caught on the dagger, though, which still burned in his right shoulder, and Robin groaned as it jerked the wound open further. Growling, Quinn grabbed the weapon and wrenched it out, tossing it across the hall. He screamed in agony, but the jester cut the sound off when her large lips latched to his again and her tongue fought its way back into his mouth.

The bare skin of her chest and legs rubbed against his now as her clothes quickly followed Robin's vest onto the floor. Her hands inched their way down his chest, his stomach, his hips; they played with the edge of his pants before slipping underneath and groping the sensitive flesh there. He bucked against her now, his body betraying his mind, and she cackled hysterically whilst making short work of the rest of his clothes.

Her teeth nibble and drew blood. Her fingers played where they didn't belong.

The night was suddenly hot, too hot.

He was sweaty and moaning and burning as she had her way with him and he gasped when her fingers and teeth and body became painful but he was a traitor, a _traitor_, as she tempted him and forced him inside and…

—_please, god please stop it—_

…but he became one with her long after the paralytic wore off and he was a traitor to himself, his team, his father…

—_god I'm sorry, please forgive me please—_

…and he wept shamefully as her body rubbed against his and her stench made him gag and the walls were too close and the night was too long and he was _burning on the inside_—

…

She was laughing.

Sharp and insane.

She was sitting up now, straddling his hips. Her fingers were on his face again, wiping at his tears like some lover-bastardization. She ran her fingers through his hair and he raised his dazed eyes from her chest to her face. They locked and she grinned even wider.

Then she leaned forward, digging her fingers deep into the knife wound that was still bleeding. His lips parted to scream, but his voice was gone now. Licking her lips like an animal, she whispered, "I'm impressed, Bird Boy. You're a better ride than I expected."

Robin snapped.

Snarling, he raised his legs and kicked nailed her in the stomach. She yelped in surprise, sailing across the hall before the wall broke her fall with a loud smack.

He rolled to his side and struggled onto hands and knees, but weakness and panic sent them buckling beneath his weight and he collapsed in a heap to the floor.

She cackled as she rose unsteadily from the floor. He knew she had to be in pain but insanity glinted in her dark eyes. Her face paint was smeared and sweaty now. She was covered in blood and bodily fluids but she grinned and screeched like the devil.

"F-fucking wh-whore," he gasped out.

She winked at him. Her tongue snaked between her lips and across her fingers, lapping at the blood from the wound she had previously been probing.

Robin shivered violently.

Harley Quinn leered.

Turning, she shoved her heels on, picked up her clothes, and strode shamelessly back the way she has come.

* * *

><p>So, um...yeaaaah. I tried my hand a non-graphic sex (am I even allowed to say that word on this site? Lol). I don't really like the way it turned out. But thank you for being incredibly patient with me! Please review and give me feedback! Thank you!<p> 


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